Golf practicing device



June 17, 1941. c J THQMAS 2,245,739

GOLF PRAGTICING DEVICE Filed May 21, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l INV(ENTOR BY M 4 LJ ATTORNEYS June 17, 1941. c. J. THOMAS 2,245,739

GOLF PRACTICING DEVICE Filed May 21, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i IIN}ENTOR 95 HQ/Q Zia/LA, 1 M

ATTORNEY Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GOLF PRACTICING DEVICE Commodore J. Thomas, Green Bay, Wis. Application May 21, 1937, Serial No. 143,890

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in golf practice devices.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a practice device, preferably coin controlled, for permitting a predetermined number of practice strokes to be delivered in each cycle of operation, the length of each drive being recorded as well as visually indicated.

More specifically, it is one of my purposes to provide novel coin controlled mechanism, and another to provide novel recording means. Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement whereby the resetting or teeing up of the practice golf ball will latch the mechanism to require as a prerequisite to its release the operation of a hand lever which counts the number of strokes, releases the latch and resets the recording stylus.

Still another purpose of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved mounting for the practice ball.

Other objects will appear from the following disclosure.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a View in perspective illustrating one arrangement of the practice ball and the recording and control box.

I Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of the practice ball mounting case in plan.

Figure 3 is a view of a case in transverse section axially of the flexible shaft connection.

Figure 4 is a detail view partially in side ele vation and partially in section, of a practice ball and its carrier.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail view on the scale of Figure 1 showing a modified arrangement for mounting a practice ball.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view showing the recording mechanism in front elevation as it ap. pears with the front of the case removed, the case being shown in section.

Figure 7 shows a portion of the gear train and associated mechanism in side elevation.

Figure 8 is a detail view taken in section in the plane indicated at 88 in Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a. detail view taken in the plane indicated at 99 in Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a detail view taken largely in plan and partialy in section in a generally horizontal plane.

Figure 11 is a detail View in front elevation of the indicating dial used to indicate the number of strokes.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

VII

My improved outfit comprises two parts, the first of which includes a practice ball I5 and its mounting, and the second of which includes the control and register case I6 and the mechanism therein contained. These parts may be associated directly, but I prefer to mount the control and register case on a post or wall as shown in Fig. 1 and to sink the mounting case I! for the practice ball I5 into the earth nearby.

The ball I5 is mounted at the desired level above the surface of the ground upon an arm I8 which is preferably made of rubber or other resilien-tly yieldable material and is carried by a lever I9 which, in turn, is mounted on the squared shank of a spindle 20 rotatable in the bearing 2| on the wall of the case H. The lever I9 is conveniently made of two channel shaped stampings of wedge shaped form as clearly appears from Fig. 4, and the end of arm I 8 is given a similar wedge shape at 22 to enable it to be rigidly retained in lever I9. The practice ball I5 and the arm I8 may conveniently be made in one piece, and I prefer to extend the arm I8 at least partially around the practice ball I5 as at 23. After considerable experimentation I found that a mere increase in the amount of material connecting the arm with the ball will not serve to prevent the ball from being broken from the arm after a few drives. The particular shape of extension 23 protects the connection between the parts and enables the prolonged use of the ball without damage, the whole assembly being preferably made out of rubber, as previously explained. When an accident to the ball does ocour, the arm l9 may be removed from the squared end of spindle 20 by unscrewing the nut 24 and thereupon the two parts of the lever l9 will be separated to release the arm I8 and to permit the substitution of a new arm with attached ball.

The top of the case I'- is preferably flanged outwardly as shown in Fig. 3 to receive a cover 25 which may conveniently be made of sponge rubber and is provided with a slot at 26 to permit the passage of arm I8, the slot being enlarged to provide the holes 21 at its ends through which the ball emerges from and disappears into the case I! following a drive.

If desired, the case may be turned on its side as shown at I10 in Fig. 5 and it may, when used in the open, be provided with legs III pushed into the ground as a means of anchoring the case in.

position. Thereupon the ball I5 will turn upon a vertical axis. Without the legs the case as shown at I10 may be used indoors.

Connected to the outside of the bearing 2I is the motion of spindle 20' and ball l5 to the mechanism therein contained.

As shown in Figs. 7, 9 and 10, the flexible shaft '30 is connected with a shaft 35 carrying a pinion 36. Pinion 36 meshes with a gear 31 on shaft 38 which is suspended in yoke 39 for reasons hereinafter to be described. Shaft 38 also carries a pinion 40 meshing with gear 4| on shaft 42. The pinion 43 on this shaft meshes with a rack 44 on the recorder frame 45. Pivoted to. the front of the recorder frame is a stylus carrier 46 in which I mount the stylus 41, this term being used generically to refer toany marking device. A compression spring 48 acts on the stylus carrier subject to adjustment by means of screw 50 to regulate the engagement of the stylus with the tape 5| or any other suitable record sheet.

The motion transmitting connections just described are of such a character that when the golf ball I5 is struck and caused to rotate with spindle 20, the spindle rotation is transmitted engage pinion 46 from gear 4|, thus declutching shaft 42 from shaft 38 and the golf ball spindle. When the gear train is thus interrupted the stylus frame 45 is free of the retarding influence .of the flexible shaft and it will readily descend by gravity under the influence of the weight 85 which is mounted below its rack 44 as clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 9.

Still assuming that there is no coin control onthe apparatus, the ball may now be "teed up (moved about the axis of the spindle to a position such that the arm I8 is upright) and is immediately through the flexible shaft and the gear train to the recorder frame to cause the frame to move upwardly, thereby drawing a vertical line on the record tape 5| as shown in Fig. 6. The momentum given the ball by the drive of the operator will determine the period for which the ball will remain in motion, and consequently will regulate the length of the line which will be drawn on the record tape. This line, therefore, will indicate the length of the drive which would have been made if the ball had been a free ball and had been subject to a similar drive.

In addition to the permanent record thus made, I may visually indicate the length of each drive by the simple expedient of connecting a measuring stock 54 to the recorder frame 45 to move upwardly through a slot in the top of case "5 in proximity to a pointer 55, the measuring stick being graduated to indicate the approximate length of the drive in yards or otherwise.

If the device is not subject to coin control, the drive may be repeated by simply restoring the stylus 41 to its starting point and advancing the record tape 5| to a new position beneath the stylus. Both of these adjustments, together with others having relation to the coin control mechanism, are performed by the resetting key 60 which projects through the side of case l6 and is mounted on shaft 6|. The arm 62 carried by this shaft retracts a slide 63 having an arm 64 on which pawl 65 is pivoted for engagement with the ratchet 66. At each operation of key 60 the ratchet is rotated one notch, thereby turning shaft 61 upon which the ratchet-is mounted and which is connected by bevel gearing 68 and 69 to feed roll 10 which coacts with idler roll H as a means of advancing the record tape 5|. The same shaft 61 which carries ratchet 66 may be extended to the front of the case and provided with a dial l5 bearing numerals having the same spacing as the teeth of the ratchet and coacting with the window 16 in the front of the case to show the number of strokes taken in any given cycle.

This same operation of the key also controls the lowering of the stylus-to its datum point in the following manner.

Shaft 6| on which key 66 is mounted, carries a cam TI (Figs. 9 and 10) which engages the arm 18 of yoke 39 to oscillate the yoke on shaft 80 against the tension of spring 8|. Since shaft 38 is suspended in yoke 39, as previously explained, this oscillatory movement of the yoke will dissubject to a further drive which will again berecorded and indicated both as to length and to its number in the particular cycle of play.

Assuming, however, that the coin control mechanism is used, the operation is subject to additional control as will now be described.

The coin slot 86 has its receiving end projecting from the top of the case l6. Its lower end is disposed over a coin box 81 within the casing. A coin dropped into the slot first encounters the end of a hook-shaped pawl lever 88 and is brought to rest, before releasing the pawl, by the end 89 of the slide 63 which, as shown in Fig. 9, projects into the coin slot.

Before the coin was dropped, the hook-shaped pawl lever 88 was engaged with the single tooth of the disk 96 on shaft 61 to prevent such shaft from being rotated in the direction of rotation imparted to such shaft by depressing the control key 66. In other words, the control key 60 was originally locked against movement, and since the control key was locked the entire apparatus was locked against use. The deposit of the coin has lifted the hooked pawl 88 from its Fig. 6 position to its Fig. 9 position, thus permitting the use of the key, and it will be apparent that the initial operation of the key will, coincidental with its partial rotation of shaft 61 by means of pawl 65, also retract the slide 63 suificiently to permit the coin to drop from the broken line position 92 of Fig. 9 into the coin box 81. As soon as the coin is allowed passage through the coin slot or tube 86, the hooked pawl 88 is released and its hooked end will drop back on to the disk 90. The single tooth thereof, however, will have passed the point of engagement by the pawl and consequently the machine may be operated until the same tooth (or some other tooth, if more than one is provided), is restored to a position where the hooked end of the pawl may re-engage itself therewith. With each. operation of the control key the disk 90, like the ratchet 66, will advance one step. In the device as illustrated, twelve strokes will complete the cycle of play, following which the device will again become locked, to be released only be deposit of another coin.

As previously described, the key 69 controls the recording and indicating apparatus. When the coin control mechanism is used, it is necessary that the key 60 also controls all use of the practice hall; For this purpose the mechanism best shown in Fig. 8 and also appearing in Figs. 7 and 10, is employed.

. The shaft 35 which is primarily driven by flexible shaft 36 not only carries the pinion 36 already described, but also carries a detent cam 93 having a deep notch at 94 with slanting sides. The detent lever 95 carries a lug 96 which is engageable in notch 94 when lever 95 is released. When so engaged, the detent lever restrains the cam 93 anzl consequently the flexible shaft and the ball from rotative movement. The location of notch 94 angularly upon its shaft 35 is such that the notch will necessarily register with lug 96 whenever the ball is upright, as when teed up in preparation for a drive. Consequently the mere act of teeing up the ball will normally engage the detent pawl with the cam 93 to lock the ball.

Fig, 8 shows the parts in the positions which they occupy after the key 60 has been depressed. The oscillation of key shaft 6| has lifted arm 91 to cause link 98 to lift the detent pawl 95 out of engagement with notch 94, thus leaving the shaft 35 (and the ball) free to rotate. In this elevated position of pawl 95 it will be supported by the finger 99 of a pivoted supporting lever Hill which drops by gravity into position beneath the end of the pawl whenever the pawl is raised.

It is necessary, however, to provide some means whereby the initial play of the apparatus will restore the detent pawl 95 to functioning condition. This is done by extending the end of the supporting lever 10, as at H, into the path of cam 93 so that as soon as the pawl rotates shaft 35 the cam will push the end llll of lever I09 aside, thereby releasing the pawl. The sloping sides of notch 94 prevent the lug 96 from becoming firmly seated in such notch as long as shaft 35 continues in rotation, but as shaft 35 comes to rest, or if it is slowly moved, as in teeing up the ball, the lug 96 will seat itself in the notch to lock the parts until the control key 60 is again actuated.

A brief resume of the operation of the device as shown will be given.

As he operator tees up the ball l to the position shown in Fig. 3, the detent 95 becomes locked in the notch of cam 93 to fix the ball carrying spindle 29 against rotation, The resilience of arm 3 is preferably sufficient to enable it to withstand any blow which may be given the ball under such circumstances. The detent pawl 95 can be released by operation of lever 60, but such lever cannot be moved because its movement entails the advance of ratchet 66 on shaft 61 and this shaft is locked by the hooked pawl 88 which projects into the coin tube.

The deposit of th coin to the position 92 lifts the hooked pawl 88, thereby releasing shaft 6! and tee 60. The movement of the key effects the following results:

First, the slide 63 is retracted to permit the coin to drop into the coin box and allow the hooked pawl 88 to fall into operative position on disk 90.

Secondly, the disk 9|] has been advanced one step so that the pawl no longer registers with its tooth.

Third, the dial is advanced to show the number I, indicating that the apparatus is set up for the first stroke in the cycle.

Fourth, the clutch is opened in the gear train to release the stylus and permit it to drop to its datum position.

Fifth, the record tape is advanced to a new setting.

Sixth, the detent pawl is lifted to release the practice ball for play,

Finally, upon the release of lever 69 the spring 8| re-engages th clutch in the gear train by meshing pinion 49 with gear 4| for the transmission of motion from the ball carrying spindle to the stylus and indicator.

When the ball is struck, spindle is rotated and its motion is transmitted through the flexible shaft and the gear train to the indicator 45, causing the gauge or rule to rise, and causing the stylus 41 to mark a line on the paper proportionate to the force with which the ball has been struck.

The next operation of teeing up the ball will re-engage the detent pawl, again requiring the operation of key 60 to release the pawl as a prerequisite to further play. This time, and until the tooth or disk again returns to registry with the hooked pawl 88, the key will be free to move so that it will notbe necessary to deposit another coin until the entire cycl of play is completed.

I claim:

. 1. In a golf practice device, the combination with a spindle and a ball operatively mounted thereon, of a recording stylus, a record sheet, means operatively connecting said spindle with said stylus for the advance thereof, and a single manuallyoperable'means for controlling the resetting of the stylus to datum position and the advance of said sheet, together with a detent operatively connected to restrain spindle motion, and mechanism operatively connecting said manually operable means to said detent for the release thereof, whereby the operation of said means to reset said stylus is a prerequisite to the release of said ball.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a spindle and a ball operatively connected therewith to rotate the spindle when the ball is driven, of a first detent, a second detent, means operatively connecting the second detent to restrain spindle rotation following each drive thereof, a manual release for the second detent, and mechanism rendering the first detent effective following each cycle of a predetermined number of operations of said manual release.

3. In a golf practice device, the combination with a ball and a spindle operatively connected to be driven from the ball, of a recording stylus biased for return to a predetermined datum position, means connecting the spindle with the stylus for the advance of the stylus from said position in accordance with the movement of the ball, and a handle provided with connections including means for declutching the stylus from the spindle for its return to datum position.

4. In a golf practice device, the combination with a ball and a spindle operatively connected to be driven from the ball, of a recording stylus biased for return to a predetermined datum position, means connecting the spindle with the stylus for the advance of the stylus from said position in accordance with the movement of the ball, and a handle provided with connections including means for declutching the stylus from the spindle for its return to datum position, together with a dial operatively connected to indicate the number of operations of the handle.

5. In a golf practice device, the combination with a ball, a spindle connected to be driven thereby, a gear train operatively connected to the spindle to receive motion therefrom, and an indicator provided with connections driven by said train to indicate the movement of said ball, of a detent for locking said ball in its initial position subject to manual release, a lever operatively connected for the release of said detent, a latch for holding the detent in its closed position, and means effective upon the initial movement of the ball for disengaging said latch, whereby to leave said. detent subject to re-engagement.

6. In a golf practice device, the combination with a ball, a spindle connected to be driven thereby, a gear train operatively connected to the spindle to receive motion therefrom,and an indicator provided with connections driven by said train to indicate the movement of said ball, of a detent for restraining spindle movement. means for the manual release of said detent, a second detent connected to restrain said last mentioned means following a predetermined number of operations thereof, and coin control mechanism for the release of said second detent.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a control key, of a ball, a spindle connected with the ball to receive motion therefrom, a shaft connected with the spindle, a gear train including a yieldably mounted shaft and gears thereon connected normally in said train,

a yoke carrying said shaft, and connections from I said key for actuating said yoke in a direction to interrupt motion transmission by withdrawing said shaft from said train.

8. The combination with a gear train including a pair of normally intermeshing gears, a shaft carrying one of said gears and bodily movable in 

